"Have I indeed been spoken to?" she whispered. "I have been told that an angel cometh oft into the court of the women. Never have I seen an angel. Who knoweth that one might not come to me? Would he be fairer to look upon than was he whom I saw at the wayside? If this be truth, then do I know that my offering hath been accepted and that it is no longer a sin for me to remember him. Woe is me, then, if I am to never see him more! O he was beautiful! Exceedingly! And I have brought into the house of Jehovah this token which he gave me. But what is this which hath come to me?"
Her eyes were opened, looking downward, and the red glow of the ruby answered them as if it were speaking to her of love. Then she arose, covering with her long silken veil, and she walked out of the court of the women; but a dove, escaped from the cages of the offerings, flew over her head and went out above the great gate and the wall, flying swiftly until he disappeared over the Mount of Olives.
On walked the young woman beyond the temple walls and the sacred mount, going until she came to a street of palaces, ascending another mount. Here shortly she disappeared, but she was more beautiful than any palace and in her light stepping there were both gracefulness and a great pride of manner, as if she were of high degree.
Now at that hour of the evening sacrifice the city was exceedingly still, for men and women everywhere paused in whatever they were doing and turned their faces toward the temple. Horsemen drew rein and chariots halted, and there were many who knelt even in the open streets. But of these were none but Jews and Jewish proselytes from other nations, and there were those who were worshipers of other gods that were sufficient for them. Roman soldiers who were marching halted not, and of these a body of a hundred spearmen passed out at the Damascus gate with an officer at their head.
"O captain of the gate," he shouted, "yonder cometh a messenger. I will await him."
"Hinder him not!" replied the keeper of the gate. "He is known to me. It is the swift messenger of the procurator."
"Am I not captain of the temple?" shouted the officer so loudly that he who came heard him.
"If thou art he," was uttered, hastily, "I pray thee come to me!"
For the messenger halted, not dismounting.
"Dog of a Greek!" exclaimed the captain of the temple, haughtily, "shall I come to thee?"